1st Battalion 2nd Marines

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name= 1st Battalion, 2nd Marines


caption= 1st Battalion, 2nd Marines insignia
dates= June 1, 1933 - November 1947
October 1949 - present
country= United States
allegiance=
branch= USMC
type= Infantry
role= Locate, close with and destroy the enemy by fire and maneuver or repel the enemy assault by fire and close combat.
size=
command_structure= 2nd Marine Regiment
2nd Marine Division
current_commander=
garrison= Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune
ceremonial_chief=
colonel_of_the_regiment=
nickname= "Others Will Follow ... Where We Lead"
patron=
motto=
colors=
march=
mascot=
battles= World War II
* Battle of Guadalcanal
* Battle of Tarawa
* Battle of Saipan
* Battle of Tinian
* Battle of Okinawa
Operation Desert Storm
Operation Iraqi Freedom
* Battle of Nasiriyah
anniversaries=

1st Battalion, 2nd Marines is an infantry battalion in the United States Marine Corps based out of Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina consisting of approximately 800 Marines and Sailors. They fall under the command of the 2nd Marine Regiment and the 2nd Marine Division.

Subordinate Units

* H&S Company
* Alpha Company
* Bravo Company
* Charlie Company
* Weapons Company

History

Early years

The 1st Battalion, 2nd Marines was activated on January 1, 1933 at Cap Haitian, Haiti and spend the next year-and-a-half in Haiti until its deactivation in 1934.

World War II

Shortly before the outbreak of World War II, the battalion was reactivated deployed to the Pacific theater in June 1942. While there, the unit participated in the bloody "island hopping" campaign, fighting at Guadalcanal, Tarawa, Saipan, Tinian, and Okinawa. After the war, 1/2 spent a brief period on occupation duty in Japan, including Nagasaki, before returning to MCB Camp Lejeune where it stood down in November 1947.

1950s - 1990s

Reactivated again in October 1949, the battalion has since regularly deployed to the Caribbean and Mediterranean regions. 1/2 has seen operational service during the Cuban Missile Crisis (1962), Dominican intervention (1965), operations in the Persian Gulf (1988), Somalia evacuation (1991), Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm (1990-91), Haitian refugee operation (1992), Somalia (1993), and Cuba (1994). The unit has also deployed with the Unit Deployment Program and Camp Lejeune-based MEUs.

Global War on Terror

In January 2002, the Marines of Bravo Company were recalled off of Christmas leave after completing their six month Unit Deployment Program (UDP) to Okinawa. The Marines were sent to Camp X-Ray, Cuba. The Marines were assigned to provide security for the US Detention facility at Guantanamo Bay.

The battalion saw combat during Operation Iraqi Freedom as part of Task Force Tarawa in 2003 and with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit in 2004having combat operation is Iskandariyah, Musayyib, Haswa, and Jerf As Sakhr located in the Babil province. In the summer of 2006, the battalion completed their third tour in Iraq as part of the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit in Hit located within the Al Anbar province and deployed again the following year in March 2007. [ [http://www.wwaytv3.com/node/744 Two N.C.-based Marine battalions going to Iraq | WWAY NewsChannel 3 ] ]

ee also

* List of United States Marine Corps battalions
* Organization of the United States Marine Corps

Notes

References

:Marine Corps

;Web
* [http://www.usmc.mil/22ndMeu/BLT_1-2.htm 1/2 Official Website]